For many years, the skate blade for ice hockey skates and the like has been made of carbon steel. Skate blades for figure skates and speed skating skates continue to be made from hardened and chromed high carbon steel. Recently stainless steel has replaced carbon steel for ice hockey skates as the material of choice. Stainless steel is less costly than chromed carbon steel yet retains much of the aesthetics of chromed steel.
Traditionally, the coefficient of friction of a skate blade running over an ice surface has always been considered to be a very low. Improvements to the coefficient of friction were believed to be only achievable by improved sharpening techniques.
Polytetrafluoroethylene or PTFE resins are well known compounds having a relatively low coefficient of friction. PTFE resins are better known under the trademark TEFLON. PTFE resins have a coefficient of friction which can be described as wet ice gliding over wet ice.
PTFE resins have been used in a variety of applications, including cookware, raincoats, boat hull applications, etc. However, PTFE resins have not been applied to skate blades and the like.